Adjustable desk-top



(No Model.)

A. FLEMING. ADJUSTABLE DESK TOP.

7 No. 578,325. Patented Mar. 9, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

ANDREV FLEMING, OF ASHLAND, KENTUCKY.

ADJUSTABLE DES K-TO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,325, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed May 22, 1896. Serial No. 592,581. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Desk-Top, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable desktops, and has for its object to provide an article of this character in the form of an attachment which may be used in connection -with a desk, table, or other support for affording a top which may be adjusted or tilted to any angle desired from an approximately horizontal position for writing, &c.,.to an inclination of forty-five degrees, more or less, for drafting or studying purposes.

The invention also has for its object to provide means for facilitating the adjustment of the top and also contemplates the'use of an ink-well so connected with the adjustable top as to swing relatively thereto for adjusting itself to the varying inclination of the top.

WVith these and other objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and finally incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable desk-top constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2'is a reverse perspective View of the same closed. 7 Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the end of one of the braces.

- Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the form of the notch in the frame with which the brace engages and the springs for retaining the end of the brace in frictional engagement with the notch. Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the manner of mounting one of the adjustable guards or ledges. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the ink well and the manner of mounting the same. Fig. 7 is an end view of the adjustable desk-top.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates abase-frame,which may be either the under side of the top 4 at or near its center or to the base-frame 1, the free ends of the end bars or braces 7 being formed to engage with notches or projections formed either upon the under side of the top 4 or in the upper surfaces of the side bars of the base-frame.

The free or swinging ends of the braces 7 are preferably rounded, as indicated at 8, and correspondingly rounded notches 9 are formed in the frame to receive said ends. The object in rounding the extremities of the braces is to allow the braces to accom m'odate themselves to the different notches with which they may be engaged according as the angle of the top is varied, and in addition to rounding the ends of the braces they are provided near such rounded portions with oppositely-disposed recesses or concavities 10. Any desired number of these notches 9 may be formed in the base-frame, according to the number of adjustments which it is desired to afford for the hinged top, and each of the notches is provided at each side with a spring 11. These springs cover the edges of each notch and form a contracting and yielding mouth which will admit the introduction of the end 8 of the brace 7 and which, after the introduction of such end, will contract and retain the end of the brace therein until sufficient force is exerted upon the brace to overcome the tension of the springs.

The length of the braces may be varied to suit the manufacturer, and, if desired, several sets of braces of different lengths may be employed for increasing the extent to which the top may be adjusted.

If desired, the ends of the braces instead of being rounded may be wedge-shaped or notched, in which event the frame of the attachment will be provided with corresponding formations, with which such ends may engage.

A clamp 12 is secured to the under side of the base-frame, about centrally of the front' edge thereof. This clamp is substantially U shaped, and the free end thereof is adapted to be inserted beneath the top of the desk, table, or other support to which the attachment is applied, the attachment being fastened against displacement by means of a binding-screw 13 passing through the body of the clamp and bearing against the under side of such desk or other support. Other springclamps 14 may be provided at or near the front corners of the base 1 or along the under side of the side bars 3 thereof for assisting in the retention of the attachment upon the desk.

The desk-top 4 of the attachment is provided at or near its bottom or front edge with a groove or rabbet 15, in which is fitted a strip 15, forming a guard or ledge. This guard extends, preferably, the entire width of the top 4 and is hinged at its lower edge to the top. The rabbet is of sufficient depth to receive the strip 15 flush with the surface of the desk when not in use and is provided along its lower portion with a deepened portion comprising an abrupt shoulder 16 and an arc-shaped wall or recess 17, which permits the lower edge of the guard or strip 15 to swing when moved into its operative position, in which position the said strip will be held by reason of its bearing against the shoulder 16 and the lower corner of the rabbet, as shown in Fig. 5. Other similar guards or strips 15 may be arranged at suitable points in the top 4 and will serve as ledges for holding books and other articles and preventing the same from slipping off the inclined top. The strip 15 may also be divided intermediate its ends, whereby one section of such strip may be thrown into operative position, while the other section remains folded in its groove or rabbet, so as not to interfere with the arm of the person at work at the desk.

If desired, one of the sections may be provided with a bolt or other suitable fastening which may be moved into engagement with the other section for locking both sections together, so that they cannot move independently.

The top 4 is provided at or near its upper right-hand corner with an opening 18, andj ust beneath such opening an ink-well19 is swung, said ink-well being pivotally connected to the top 4 upon an axis parallel with the front and rear edges of the said top, so that as the inclination of the top is varied the ink-well will maintain a vertical or pendent position. The pen may be dipped into the well through the opening in the top 4.

20 indicates a tape or other flexible device which connects at one end to the swinging end of the brace-frame 5 and passes at its opposite end between the front edges of the base 1 and the top 4. By drawing on this tape from the front of the attachment the desk-top 4 may be tilted to any desired angle. A piece of rubber or a spring 21 may be interposed between the brace-frame and the part to which said frame is hinged for automatically folding the brace-frame when the attachment is closed or folded, said spring also assisting in the adjustment of the angle of the top 4 in connection with the tape.

The construction above described provides a very simple and convenient desk-top attachment which may be used upon any ordinary desk, table, or stand and which will admit of the top or writing-bed being adjusted to any angle required. The device may be folded in very compact shape and may be easily removed and stored in small compass when not in use.

Instead of the adjustable desk-top being formed as an attachment to a desk it may constitute the original desk-top.

It will be apparent that the form of the springs 11 may be changed; also, that the clamps 12 and 14 maybe dispensed with where the device is not adapted to be used as an attachment. I I

The manner of mounting and seating the guards or ledges 15 with respect to the writin g-bed may be varied, and the hole for the ink-well may be placed at any desired point.

It will also be apparent that other changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An attachment for desks, &c., comprising a base-frame, a top or writing-bed hinged at its front edge thereto, an adjustable brace for regulating the inclination of the writingbed, a tape connected to the brace for adj usting the same, and a spring interposed between the brace and the part to which the brace is connected,substantially as described.

2. An attachment for desks, &c., comprising two members hinged together one constituting a base-frame and the other a writingbed, one of said members being provided with a series of notches, an adjustable brace hinged to the other member to engage with its free .end the said notches, and a tape connected to the brace and extending outwardly between the members at their hinged portions, whereby the brace may be adjusted to elevate the free end of one member relatively to the other member, substantially as described.

3. An inclined desk-top or writing-bed provided in its upper surface with a groove or depression comprising a shallow and a deepened portion forming between them a shoulder extending substantially at a right angle to the surface of said top, in combination with a guard in the form of a strip hinged on its under side and intermediate its longitudinal edges Within said groove and at the junction of the shallow and deepened portions thereof, said strip being adapted to be folded flush with the upper surface of the top or to mouth of each notch, and a brace interposed between'the base and the writing-bed and 15 having its end formed to enter any one of said notches and to be held friotionally by said Springs, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 20 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. v ANDREW FLEMING:

Witnesses:

J. WILL HARRIS, ANNA SHINN. 

